Donor-acceptor nature of orange photoluminescence in AlN

Recombination dynamics, photoluminescence and photoluminescence excitation spectra have been investigated for 1.9 eV photoluminescence band in AlN in the temperature range of 5-650 K. The recombination dynamics for the 1.9 eV photoluminescence band has been described by a model of donor-acceptor recombination with taking into account a broadening due to electron coupling with local lattice vibrations of a deep level defect. The experimental results have been compared with density functional theory calculations of luminescence peak energies and line shapes of band to defect and donor-acceptor transitions, and possible origin of the orange photoluminescence band in AlN has been discussed.